ELEMENTARY VIRTUE: The Savior

by Sonja Wuthrich

  Leyla couldn’t believe her ears.

  “Painful for you? What about me? I am really sorry and I never thought that I would ever say such a thing to you, but you're a fucking idiot, Gregory Rossi. It would have been nice if you thought about it before you kissed me till I was upside down and fell for you.”

  She stormed ahead into the house and climbed the stairs without looking back. He remained behind like a fool, with a stupid grin on his face. He had made her fall for him. Despite everything else, this thought made him feel real good.

  Brooklyn devastated, and did they really meet Harry Styles and Niall Horan incognito in the subway?

  When Leyla came down for breakfast the next morning, after her alarm clock had ripped her out of her confused dreams playing a One Direction song and she had thrown it against the wall, she had to realize that Gregory had already left. Probably, he couldn’t stand the sight of her considering what had happened yesterday, after his 5 minutes of madness. In fact, the madness had gone on for several hours, she thought devastated and angry at the same time. Her mother looked at her in a strange way and seriously asked her how the concert had been.

  Leyla shrugged and picked at her cereal.

  “By the way, Gregory wanted me to tell you that Aiden has already picked him up. The two of them looked a little shaken this morning. Did you two fight again?”

  Leyla shrugged once more and remained silent. Her mother sighed.

  “You know what. I give up, and better mind my own business. I'm off to the studio.”

  The studio was her mother’s fitness club, which she owned since before Leyla had been born. She shook her head, kissed her daughter’s cheek and ruffled her hair.

  “Men, don’t let them get to you kid.”

  She gave Leyla one last consoling look and left the house.

  Leyla remained sitting at the table and stared after her mother. What does she know about yesterday…god, she hoped that moron had shut his mouth. Otherwise… To be honest, she did not have the slightest desire to go to school today. But on the other hand, she was no chicken shit and would not stay home because of this bloody... She was looking for the right word in her mind and seriously, the words in her mind got out of hand.

  If she didn’t go to school, this smug guy would make something completely wrong out of it. She mocked him in front of the mirror and grimaced. She looked at herself through half-shut eyelids with a seductive look on her face, whispering to her reflection.

  “Love, with me it is far too dangerous; it's for your own good.”

  She pursed her lips in disgust. That idiot, who the hell did he think he was? First, he kissed her that she was completely upside down. She touched her lips with her finger and for a short moment, she remembered the magic of the moment. Then she shook her head trying to shake off the memory. He had destroyed that magical moment, when he told her that he didn’t want to be with her because it was too dangerous for her, which was pathetic. She was still beside herself. She lingered for a while and then slowly made her way to the subway. Outside, it was already hot and humid early in the morning. She hated this high humidity. Her hair curled even more than usual. Although she had given her best to straighten it this morning, it probably looked like a dust mop after a short time.

  Why was she not living somewhere in the Swiss Alps - the cool dry air would be good for her, she mused. Lost in thought, she waited for the subway. When it finally arrived, she saw Brooklyn, who was sitting at the window, wearing huge sunglasses. What was she doing here? Usually she got in at Victoria Park. Her stiff upright position smelled somehow like trouble. She sat there supporting her chin with her elbow on the window ledge and looked anything but approachable. Leyla sat down beside her.

  “Hey, Sis. What's going on? Who died?”

  Brooklyn kept her head down.

  ”I did. You will get an invitation to my funeral. Does next Wednesday fit you?”

  At last, she raised her head. Leyla frowned

  ”That bad? Yesterday you made quite a passionate impression when you dropped us off at home.” Brooklyn let out a long sigh. “But here’s the thing, yesterday was a very, very, very long time ago.”

  She lifted her sunglasses to look at Leyla.

  "Oh my God, your eyes are completely swollen from crying. What happened? What did that crazy bastard do to you after we went home?”

  Brooklyn raised her hands.

  ”The question that really arises is what did I do? I am sure you know the song by Taylor Swift ‘I knew you were trouble’? Well, that's how it feels this morning and the truth is that I must take responsibility for my actions. However, I'm just so damn sad.”

  She sobbed again and fumbled for a Kleenex in her oversized Fiorrucci bag. Leyla felt a bit puzzled.

  “What did you do then, enlighten me?”

  "Come on, you know exactly how much I'm into Aiden. Why do you think that I have threaded the whole One Direction deal? Do you really think I got those tickets for free? Or that I'm into Harry Styles?”

  Leyla shrugged.

  “Why not, after all he is a Pop Star and many girls admire him from afar. What would be so wrong about that?”

  Brooklyn swept her objection with a defensive gesture aside. “You should know me better than that. I'm not into pop stars and I'm not a groupie. After all, I do not like that Harry Styles. He is too British. There is only one guy that I am interested in and that’s Aiden. Unfortunately, he does not feel the same way about me. He just wants sex.”

  She emphasized the last word and looked quite unhappy. The two guys sitting in the compartment behind them looked at each other tellingly chuckling.

  “Who doesn’t?”

  Leyla turned around to face them and snapped at them annoyed.

  ”Gentlemen, do you mind? We have to deal with a serious crisis here and I would be grateful if you could refrain from any more of these immature remarks.”

  She looked at them more closely, then narrowed her eyes and almost laughed out loud. The two of them wore sunglasses too, as if they were incognito, or had something to hide. One of them had pulled up the collar of his shirt and wore kind of a bandana in his brown, tangled hair. He was wearing a black Ramones T-shirt. The other one was blond and wore a baseball cap pulled low over his face. On his green t-shirt were the word I am Irish next to a picture of a shamrock. Somehow, they looked familiar, but she didn’t know where to put them. They fell in an awkward silence after her speech.

  “Well, there you go. Thank you gentlemen.”

  She turned back to Brooklyn, who was still quietly sobbing. Leyla's cell phone croaked like a frog. She had received a text message. She pulled out her cell phone saying,

  “Oh shit, or in this case perhaps, Oh great, school starts only at ten o’clock. Mrs. Marrone Kozlowski has some gastric flu. This really sucks.”

  She grinned cheerfully.

  “The delegate comes in only at ten.”

  She turned to her friend.

  “Let’s get off at the next stop cause this means you still have some time to relax and get back to normal before you have to meet the bad guy again, who apparently is obsessed with sex.”

  Behind them, she heard suppressed laughter again. Leyla gave them a sardonic glance and was horrified, because suddenly she remembered where she had seen these two guys before. It had been only yesterday at that damn concert on a poster, which had been all over the place. The blonde wore even the same shirt as on the poster. If she did not completely freak out, it indeed was the previously mentioned Harry Styles and his band mate Niall…what was his name again? She looked back at them still horrified - how awkward. They both smiled and waved at her. The blonde guy pointed at her T-Shirt.

  ”Nice shirt,” he whispered.

  She looked down on her 5SOS T-Shirt, nodded uncertain and followed Brooklyn. She turned to Brooklyn, “Let’s find some quiet place for our conversation.”

  She looked back over her shoulder once more. The two guys still waved at her. Maybe s
he could have asked them for an autograph. Yet, Brooklyn was already on her way out and she had no choice but to follow her towards the exit.

  “Can I ask you why you were actually on the subway when I got in at Main Street? Did you sleep at Aiden’s apartment?”

  She covered her mouth with her hand in feigned horror.

  “By the way I am not sure, but I think Harry Styles was sitting behind us on the subway. Thought this may cheer you up a bit.”

  Leyla grinned at her friend encouragingly.

  "Sometimes I don’t really understand you. Why would that cheer me up?” She sniffed, “That is not funny at all.”

  Leyla shrugged.

  “It may not be funny, but sure as hell is true, and I would certainly have gotten myself an autograph if you had not sobbed so loud.”

  Brooklyn looked at her aghast.

  “You're crazy. I don’t want an autograph from that guy; I want Aiden. That’s all.”

  “Okay, okay, don’t get upset. So you have stayed with him? How could you? On the first date?”

  Brooklyn raised her sunglasses.

  “Where are we anyway?"

  "We are in Midland.”

  “And why are we in Midland?”

  “Hello?! To get away from Harry.”

  "Huh, you’re totally nuts, you know that, don’t you?”

  Leyla laughed. She would not have thought that this day would be that much of an amusement for her after all.

  “I’m just kidding; we will drink some coffee where the walls have no ears.”

  "But I don’t like coffee,” Brooklyn said miserably.

  Leyla ignored her remark and noted irritably that her friend really was not her usual confident self today.

  They went into the coffee shop, Second Cup, where mostly elderly people drank their coffee at this time of day. Among them, sometimes Leyla's grandmother together with her​​girlfriends. Today, however, there was no danger to bump into her, since she was currently on a cruise in Europe. The lucky woman, Leyla thought. They sat down at a corner table. The restaurant was pretty empty and there would be no one to listen to them talking. Leyla ordered a cold chocolate for herself and after a glance at her friend, ordered a chamomile tea for Brooklyn.

  After they had their beverages in front of them and Brooklyn wasn’t even complaining about the chamomile tea, Leyla seriously began to worry.

  "Come on now, tell me finally what happened. I am sure it won’t be that bad.”

  Brooklyn removed her sunglasses and looked sadly at her with swollen eyes.

  “It is so much worse than you think. Yesterday, after the concert, I was in high spirits, and not tired at all and Aiden was so nice and funny. We got along so well…”

  "OK, I get it. He is the greatest thing on the other side of the Nile that has ever existed, but that’s not the point, so get to the point,” Leyla interrupted.

  "Like I said, he was so sweet, not like the other guys.”

  Leyla cleared her throat and coughed.

  “Get to the part that has turned you into a sniveling wreck, please.”

  Brooklyn hesitated and played nervously with the tablecloth. “I went with him to his apartment. Apparently, he has big problems with his dad, who has rented a small flat for Aiden in Chester, so he doesn’t have to bother anymore. His dad got married recently to a 25-year-old bimbo. He seems to be a real nasty man.”

  Leyla rolled her eyes.

  “Forget his dad, he wasn’t there with you yesterday, at least I hope not…"

  Brooklyn's face had taken a dreamy expression, which was quite a contrast to her tear-stained face.

  “It was all very charming. We talked about this and that and one thing led to another and eventually we came very close to each other.”

  Leyla listened attentively.

  “How close?”

  Brooklyn looked at her like a wounded deer.

  “You know what I mean, and it was beautiful, considering that the first time usually is supposed to be pretty bad. He was so understanding and sweet,” she sniffed again.

  Leyla was stunned.

  “What were you thinking? You don’t know the guy and then you go to his place and hit the sheets with him? Have you gone nuts? He could have been a serial killer. Have you at least taken some precautionary measures?”

  Brooklyn raised her eyebrows clearly offended.

  “Who do you think you are, my mother or something? That's not the point at all and why would he be a serial killer? That’s totally out of line.”

  Leyla couldn’t believe her ears.

  “What do you mean not the point? Please don’t mention your mother, because you know that your mother doesn’t give shit about you, so she certainly couldn’t care less about your sexual escapade. Except if she would suddenly become a Grandma that would not get along so well with her Botox.”

  Brooklyn looked up startled.

  “You think I could be pregnant?"

  "How should I know? Maybe you even have Herpes or Syphilis,” she rolled her eyes.

  "You're so mean,” Brooklyn hissed, “Aiden is not like that.”

  Leyla sighed.

  “How do you know? How long have you known the guy? Wasn’t he just the grim Emo Freak from Gregory’s class until yesterday? You're only sixteen and totally inexperienced. That probably explains why you got swept off your feet and forgot all about precaution. But Aiden on the other hand should have known better than that, or do you think that he is not that experienced sexually after all?”

  Brooklyn was still offended.

  “You, however, are probably over thirty and know everything better since yesterday.”

  Leyla shook her head in disbelief.

  "Oh no, I don’t know anything better. I 'm just worried about you.”

  She grabbed Brooklyn's hand.

  “I know that and you are absolutely right. I don’t know what came over me. Honestly, and I was not even drunk; I was so overwhelmed. He just swept me off my feet, but he says that he cannot be with me because he is on some kind of secret mission. He says I can’t be seen with him because it is too dangerous and it would make him vulnerable.”

  She looked helplessly at Leyla.

  “Yet, that makes no sense at all. It sounds more like the lamest dump in history.”

  Leyla could hardly believe it. It was like Deja vu.

  “Oh yes, it even makes damn sense. I don’t believe it.”

  She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together.

  “Those damn idiots,” she said through clenched teeth. Brooklyn at first thought she had misheard.

  “What did you say?”

  “I suppose he told you that before you left this morning?”

  "Yes, exactly. Why are you asking?”

  "Because Gregory, that little jerk told me exactly the same crap after kissing me and making me feel dizzy. This morning when I got up, he was already gone with Aiden. The two of them are definitely up to something,” she said thoughtfully, more to herself than to Brooklyn.

  "You sanctimonious crawler, you are no better than me and have gone all the way with Gregory!”

  Leyla laughed.

  ”Now don’t get ahead of yourself. We kissed and I admit that it was passionate. As I told you, I completely fell for him, but there was nothing else, I swear.”

  Brooklyn shrugged.

  "I'm sorry. I should have known that you're not as stupid as I am; at least, you are always in control.”

  Gabe

  He had left Zurich behind and was sitting on a plane with a satisfied grin on his face. Finally, he was on his way to Toronto. It had been about time that his old man gave him a job to do at last. He had been long enough in that boarding school and was bored. Well, he had to admit that he learned the best camouflage methods while being there. He had spent the last four years in a boarding school in La Neuville in the French part of Switzerland. His father was convinced that the best and most aristocratic French was taught in that particular Institute.
Nobody would have any second doubt about him being a rich French guy from a family of the French elite.

  A cunning move of his father, he had to admit. Ever since he could remember, he had been trained for the task to eliminate the disturbing savior showing up eventually, threatening his family. He had always thought that it was a pipe dream or an old wives tales. He had heard the tale about the so-called prodigy a thousand times. He wasn’t even sure whether his father was just under constant paranoia, or if there was some truth about it. He didn’t care either way. The only thing he cared about was that we would finally get some action, given the case this jackass even existed. Maybe it was even a girl. He smiled to himself. There would be some action, no doubt about that. If this imaginary hero existed, whether male or female, the destruction was unavoidable. If the story was true, that much was clear because nobody could get passed him. The old lady next to him asked him whether he could help her open her bottle as she had troubles doing it with her gout-ridden fingers. He helped her and was indeed very friendly and charming. No one would have suspected such violent thoughts behind that handsome face. He truly had the striking face of an angel, despite his clear-cut features. His profile looked as if Michelangelo had carved it. Nevertheless, he looked intriguing and at the same time trustworthy. Just a little bit out of reach, which even increased the fascination for those around him. With his short blond hair and his dark green eyes, he had every female within a radius of a hundred feet falling immediately to his charm, without any exception.